Mary - where do we start?
A lot of you will have heard about her wartime activities, but there is a lot more that you don't know.
This is her story!
She was born Dorothy Mary Bovey (but was always called Mary) in Buckfastleigh almost 104 years ago, attended a junior school there and then travelled to Ashburton by steam train where she completed her education. She excelled at a secretarial course at Torquay College. As a teenager she rode her own pony on the moors with her friends and enjoyed the village dances.
Mary Overill (née Bovey) as a baby at her Christening 1922
Mary as Titania in 1934
Mary with her pony in 1938
As war was looming she started work at an accountants in Totnes, again another train journey from Buckfastleigh. It was a difficult time for her as her father had died and her mother was in hospital having broken her hip in a fall from her bike. Mary received her call up papers and was anticipating an adventure. She chose the WAAF - that is the Women's Auxiliary Air Force - because she liked the colour of the uniform - nothing changed as she grew older, always liking to be stylishly co-ordinated!
Mary Overill in WAAF uniform aged 20
After square bashing in Morecambe, she was disappointed to be sent to Plymouth - rather too close to home and not quite the adventure she had imagined! A move to Coastal Command in St Eval in Cornwall was followed by a prestigious posting to the Air Ministry in Whitehall, London. She was working in the top secret Cabinet Office Cypher Office where she typed documents concerning the progress of the war for the senior members of the Cabinet and even the King!
Mary at Coastal Command 1943
Mary Overill in the fashion of the 40s
Despite the hardships of war, Mary and her friends were able to enjoy numerous free visits to the theatre and pictures (that's the cinema to us) and also to put on her dancing shoes when her favourite musician Glen Miller and his band were performing at the Queensbury Club - hence the choice of music for the service today.
The family hope you might have seen her television appearance on May 8th for the VE Day 80th Commemoration last year that was shown on the open air screen in front of the King and Queen. She recounted being swept along in the crowds towards Buckingham Palace and waving to the Royal Family on the balcony as she joined in with the celebrations of the end of the War in Europe.
Mary Overill Lights, Camera, Action! 2025
Mary had met Dick at a dance in Torquay during the war, married just 3 weeks after the end of the war and had 61 happy years together.
Mary Overill (née Bovey) and Richard Leanard Overill (Dick) on their Wedding Day 1945
Time moved on and in 1948 Diana was born, followed by Linda in 1952. With a young family they moved to Barnstaple and opened a china and glass shop, living in the flat above. Mary managed to run the shop, look after the children, cook the lunch, do the shopping and still had time to be the chairman of the Townswomen's Guild. She even progressed to skillfully repairing china ornaments of sentimental value for her customers - perhaps she was a forerunner of the Repair Shop!?
Mary and Dick Overill with the young girls 1952
When Mary and her husband moved to Cornworthy in 1985, she joined the WI and fully embraced village life. From the Hog Roast, costume and scenery creator for the theatre group, to the Elizabthan Day in Totnes wearing full costume, she was enthusiastically involved in the community. She represented the WI at the Royal Albert Hall Annual Confernece and still found time to keep fit with Tai Chi and Yoga.
Mary Overill at Barnstaple Carnival 1978
Mary at an Elizabethan Market Totnes 1988
After Dick's death in 2006 and whilst on a visit to Di and Stuart in Bishopsteignton, Mary spotted a cottage for sale and decided another move was in order. Starting anew at the age of 87 she joined the village WI, made lots of new friends, became a member of the Flower Club and embraced village life once again. She particularly enjoyed socializing at the Bishopsteignton Luncheon Club in the Community Centre and produced many prize winning arrangements for the village show. She loved gardening and, at the age of 94, took part in the Open Garden Day in June 2016, many of you may recall it.
Mary moving into Fore Street 2009
Mary participating in the Bishopsteigntons Open Garden 2016
Mary always had activities on the go, sewing, knitting, painting, flower arranging and made the wedding dresses for her 2 daughters and their bridesmaids' dresses too. Her other hobbies have included crafting, pottery classes and Scottish country dancing.
Diane Ewing (née Overill) wedding 1969. All the dresses were made by Mary.
Newspaper Cutting of Mary Overill 1972
Mary Overill in Egypt 1997
With such a busy life, you can't imagine that she would find time to travel - but Mary and Dick did! India, Nepal, Africa, China, Cananda, Usa, Egypt and almost every country in Europe. She delighted in filling scrapbooks with holday memorabilia and albums with hundreds of photographs. So think of Di and Linda storing these for posterity! She also loved hearing of their families' holidays and avidly followed the routes on her atlas after her own travel adventures had ceased.
Mary Overill in India 1972
Mary was delighted to receive a card from Queen Elizabeth on her 100th birthday which the family celebrated with a Tea Dance in the Village Hall. Yes, they have a video of her dancing!
Mary with Greg the Postman delivering her 100th Birthday Card from the Queen 2022
Mary Overill (nèe Bovey) dancing at her 100th party 2022
She had been hampered by failing sight through Macular degeneration for a couple of years and then a fall in her kitchen at home resulted in a partial hip replacement at 102 years of age. She decided she was ready for yet another move, this time to Bishopsteignton House where she made more new friends and had been wonderfully looked after by Donna and all her caring staff for over a year.
Mary visiting Bishopsteignton Festival 2025
Di and Linda say they couldn't have had a better mum, her 5 Grandchildren have all learnt so many things from her and her 11 Great Grandchildren will all have such special memories of time spent with her. They've recieved so many kind thoughts about her, with people calling her a lovely lady, wonderful, amazing, interested in others, a legend, one in a million and say that the family are lucky to have had her for so many years. We can all agree with those sentiments and add that she was cheeful, open minded and curious too.
She had a wonderul life, well lived, lively and independent and they are celebrating that with you all today.
Mary Overill WAAF